Herakut – Colors of Resilience

Last month, German duo Hera and Akut, did an amazing project for and together with young people in Syria. To empower children and give them a platform for expression, 2,000 Syrian and Jordanian youth were gathered across the governorates of Irbid, Mafraq, Ajloun and Jerash as well as Zaatari and Cyber City refugee camps. They painted the walls of their community with messages of happiness, hope and coexistence.
The voice of the next generation is one of hope, not defined by violence and war, but rather by peace and human dignity.

Backround Story

March 15th 2014 marks three years since the start of the Syrian conflict. A group of boys sprayed graffiti across the wall of their school and were arrested. These arrests were one of the sparks to ignite the Syrian uprising. Protests have since deteriorated into a violent civil war as extremists and foreign powers vie for influence.

Nine million Syrians have been forced to leave their homes, more than 130,000 have been killed and 2.5 million people have fled to neighboring nations; half are children. However, the voices of the young boys who put the writing on the wall are not forgotten. Children will define the future and it is their voice that will shape the next generation.